'He's Got That Flair' - Ex-KKR Opener Picks His Most Impressive India U19 Player
Uday Saharan & Sachin Dhas (X.com)
Former Indian cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra reviewed India’s U19 World Cup journey and picked Sachin Dhas as the player who managed to impress him the most with his skill set and stroke-playing ability.
India witnessed yet another heartbreak in an ICC tournament just months after the senior team lost the ODI World Cup to Australia.
The U19 boys, who, in fact, stayed undefeated throughout the World Cup tournament, lost the finals to the U19 Australian team by 79 runs.
The batting unit failed to step up on the occasion after the Aussies set up a 254-run target. Semi-final heroes Sachin Dhar and skipper Uday Saharan failed miserably on the eve of the finals as India’s U19 winning streak was broken.
Regardless, former Indian cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra believed there are a lot of positives and lessons the kids can take back home with them. He recorded a video for YouTube to reveal his favorite pick of the tournament, whom he believes can make it big in the future.
Chopra revealed he liked Sachin Dhas’ skillset and stroke play ability the most this U19 World Cup season. He added how Dhas has that flair to take on spinners freely without any fear. Chopra specially mentioned a pull shot Dhas hit against South Africa over mid-wicket, stating that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
"I liked Sachin Dhas a lot based on whatever I saw. I agree he got out to a spinner in the final. He plays the pull very well and plays good drives as well. He has got that flair. The pulls he hit against South Africa were to the left of midwicket. You need a special ability to do that," Chopra said.
Furthermore, Aakash Chopra lauded Sachin Dhas’ ability to play with free arms. He says when a batter’s arms are not cramped up, he can take time to get under the ball and hit it over mid-wicket or long on as per the gap available. Overall, Chopra marked Sachin Dhas as a quality batter who has a bright future ahead of him.
"His arms open up, they don't get cramped. If someone's arms get cramped, he plays square and in the air. If your arms open up and you are able to make the impact away from the body, it means you have time, you can keep the ball down and hit towards midwicket. I have marked him as a good player," he added.
Undoubtedly, while India U19 boys fell short of achieving the ultimate dream, the knowledge they take back from this tournament will stick with them for the rest of their lives and will also help shape their skills as professional cricket players.